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Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB)


Graduate Catalogue 2017–18

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Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (OSB)Officers of the School

Fadlo Khuri President of the UniversityMohamed Harajli Provost, ex-officioSteve Harvey DeanDima Jamali Associate Dean for Research and Faculty DevelopmentCharlotte Karam Associate Dean for ProgramsAssem Safieddine Senior Advisor for Partnerships and InternationalizationMoueen Salameh Registrar, ex-officioSalim Kanaan Director of Admissions, ex-officioLokman Meho University Librarian, ex-officio

Professional Administrators

Rima Arabi Financial ManagerDania El-Ashi Faculty IT ManagerRasha Bohsali Director of Operations & Strategic InitiativesNada Khalidy Kouzi Facilities and Events CoordinatorElias Khater Director of Continuous ImprovementHaitham Khoury Director of Career Management Services

Program Directors and Coordinators

Henry Azzam Coordinator of the Master’s in Finance Program Yassar Nasser Director of the MBA ProgramLaith Dajani Executive Director of Executive EducationMaya El Helou Director of Graduate ProgramsFida Kanaan Director of Executive EducationBeverly Dawn Metcalfe Coordinator of the Master’s in Human Resource Management

ProgramAntoine Sabbagh Executive Director of the Undergraduate Program

Center Director

Bijan Azad Director, Darwazah Center for Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship



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Middle East Advisory Board

Diraar Y. Alghanim Chairman, Alghanim International Corp. WLL / KuwaitRachid Al Miraj Governor, Central Bank of Bahrain / BahrainSabah AlMoayyed Managing Partner, Intellect Resources Management W.L.L/

BahrainFaisal Ali AlMutawa Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Ali Abdel Wahab, Sons & Co

/KuwaitHisham A. Al Razzuqi Former Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Investment Corporation

(GIC) / KuwaitElissar Farah Antonios Chief Executive Officer of Citi / UAESaad Azhari Chairman and General Manager, BLOM Bank /LebanonNabil Bustros Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Midis Group / LebanonSaid Darwazah Chairman & Chief Executive Officer , Hikma Pharmaceuticals

PLC / JordanFawzi Farah Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Corporate Finance House

(CFH) Group / LebanonNeemat Frem President & Chief Executive Officer, INDEVCO Group / LebanonDipak C. Jain Director of Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration

of Chulalongkorn University / ThailandMarwan Kheireddine Chairman & General Manager, Al-Mawarid Bank / LebanonMay Makhzoumi President, Makhzoumi Foundation / LebanonUsama R. Mikdashi Former Chairman of the Banking Control Commission of Lebanon

/ LebanonNehmeh E. Sabbagh Chief Executive Officer, Arab Bank / JordanConstantin Salameh Senior International Executive / LebanonRana Ghandour Salhab Member of the Middle East Board of directors and Executive

Committee / DeloitteElia Samaha Group Chief Credit Officer, Group Environmental & Social

Management System Officer, Bank Audi s.a.l. / LebanonTalal Shair Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Dar Al Handasah (Shair and

Partners) and Dar Group / Jordan

The Finance, Accounting, and Managerial Economics Track

Convener Elfakhani, SaidProfessors Chahine, Salim; Elfakhani, Said; Safieddine, AssemAssociate Professors Dbouk, Wassim; Ismail, Ahmad; Jamali, Ibrahim; Khalil, Samer;

McNamara, StevenAssistant Professors Al-Dah, Bilal; Al Helaly, Moataz; Ashour, Samar; Daher, Mai;

Mazboudi, Mohamad; Okeily, Jihad; Saade, SamerSenior Lecturers Azzam, Henry; Ghanem, Abdel Jalil; Termos, AliLecturers Hout, Bassima; Meslmani, Nabil; Tannir-Fawaz, Lina; Uwaydah-

Mardini, Rania Instructors El-Hajj, Sana



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The Management, Marketing, and Entrepreneurship Track

Convener: Sidani, YusufProfessors: Jamali, Dima; Sidani, Yusuf; Vanhonacker, WilfriedAssociate Professors: Afiouni, Fida; Karam, Charlotte; Metcalfe Dawn, Beverly

(Visiting)Assistant Professors: Apaydin, Marina; Bastian, Bettina; Daou, Alain; Daouk Oyri,

Lina; El Jurdi, Hounaida; Elias, Rida; Farah, Bassam; Khoury, Haitham; Yehia, Nadine

Senior Lecturers: Abdallah, Hanin; Dimechkie, Riad; Kettaneh, Tarek Lecturers Fathallah, Ramzi; Khauli, LeilaInstructors: Kfouri, Michael; Panossian, Hagop

The Business Information and Decision Systems Track

Convener: Fleszar, KrzysztofProfessors: Hindi, Khalil; Osman, Ibrahim Associate Professors: Araman, Victor; Azad, Bijan; Fleszar, Krzysztof; Moussawi,

Lama; Tsoukalas, Angelos (Visiting)Assistant Professors: Bou Hamad, Imad; Daou, Hoda; Salamoun, Randa; Zablith,

FouadLecturers: Geutcherian, Rita; Majdalani, Elie

History and OverviewBusiness education at AUB started in 1900 and was provided either by a department or by a semi-autonomous school under the university’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences for approximately one hundred years. In celebration of the hundred-year anniversary of offering business programs, AUB established an independent School of Business (later named the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business, OSB) in September 2000, as the sixth faculty of the University.

To date, AUB has graduated over 8,000 students from its undergraduate business programs and over 1,750 from its graduate business programs. Since its formal establishment as a distinct school, OSB has grown its full-time faculty complement from 13 in the academic year 2000-01 to 57 today. It now graduates approximately 350 students from its undergraduate program and more than 60 students from its graduate programs every year.

OSB currently offers five degree programs: an Executive Master of Business Administration (herein referred to as the Executive MBA), a Master of Business Administration (herein referred to as the MBA), a Master’s in Finance (herein referred to as the MFIN), a Master’s in Human Resource Management (herein referred to as the MHRM), a Master’s in Business Analytics (herein referred to as the MS-BA), and a Bachelor of Business Administration (herein referred to as the BBA).



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The First AUB Faculty to Be Named In June 2003, the AUB School of Business was named the Suliman S. Olayan School of Business (herein referred to as OSB) in honor of the late international Saudi businessman and AUB trustee whose family has always been a major supporter of AUB.

This watershed event triggered a series of major developments intended to broaden and deepen the delivery of quality undergraduate and graduate business programs at AUB. An entirely new curriculum was introduced for the BBA and MBA degrees in the Fall of 2001. Both degrees were redesigned to follow leading trends in international business education. In the Spring of 2004, OSB launched the Executive MBA program in response to the professional development needs of senior corporate leaders in the region. In 2012, OSB introduced a Specialized Masters in Finance and a Specialized Master of Science in Human Resource Management, and in 2017, introduced a Master of Science in Business Analytics to its suite of graduate degree program offerings as part of its strategy to better serve the region, increase its graduate enrollment and further enhance AUB’s global brand as the regional business education leader.

AccreditationThe degree programs of OSB are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

Requiring rigorous quality audits and adherence to best academic practices, AACSB accreditation, which is attained by fewer than 5 percent of business schools worldwide, is the international quality assurance standard for business education programs. Initial accreditation was achieved in 2009, and as per AACSB re-accreditation guidelines, OSB was re-accredited in 2014.

Our Vision The Suliman S. Olayan School of Business’ vision is to transform business thinking in the MENA region.

Our MissionThe Suliman S. Olayan School of Business’ mission is to enable world-class business research, learning, and knowledge transfer from our authoritative anchor point within the MENA region.

Ethics and Integrity at OSBOSB is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and expects its faculty and students to exhibit exemplary behavior in this regard. All business students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with and always abiding by the AUB policies, rules and regulations that define standards for academic integrity.



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RCR RequirementThe Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Requirement must be completed by all newly admitted degree seeking graduate students. The requirement consists of a course that must be completed within the first month and is marked by a passing grade. Failure to fulfill the requirement in a timely manner results in a registration hold that is removed once the student has fulfilled the requirement. The specific course/section to be taken is assigned by the student advisor. For more details on the requirement, please refer to page 49. Below is the RCR course listing of OSB.

RCRB 300 Responsible Conduct of Research in Business 0 cr.Every semester

An online RCR course (Responsible Conduct of Research) from the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program). Required for all graduate students in the School of Business. The course “covers core norms, principles, regulations, and rules governing the practice of research.” It consists of the following modules: Research Misconduct, Data Management, Authorship, Peer Review, Mentoring, Using Animal Subjects in Research, Conflicts of Interest, Collaborative Research, and Research Involving Human Subjects.

Organization and GovernanceThe school is run by the dean and guided by an independent board (MEAB) Middle East Advisory Board, composed of accomplished regional thought leaders and trendsetters in business. The MEAB advises the dean and the dean’s Advisory Committee on major strategic initiatives and act as a preliminary screening authority prior to the approval of the university provost, the university president and the university Board of Trustees (BOT). The dean’s Advisory Committee is an elected body as per AUB’s faculty bylaws.

The school is organized into the functional equivalent of multi-disciplinary departments, referred to as “tracks.” While each track has its distinct identity and designated faculty members, a track is markedly different from a department. It allows for multiple faculty membership and offers fertile soil for cross-disciplinary synergy and facilitates faculty cooperation.

The school has three tracks, with each encompassing a cluster of distinct academic business disciplines, and is headed by a track Convener (a highly-qualified OSB faculty member). The tracks are:

• Finance, Accounting and Managerial Economics (FAME) Concentrations (2): Finance and Accounting

• Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship (MM&E) Concentrations (3): Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship

• Business Information and Decision Systems (BIDS) Concentration (1): Information and Decision Systems

Track Conveners report directly to the associate dean for programs. The school is managed by the dean, the associate deans, the track Conveners, the program directors and coordinators, the administrative officers of the school, and seven standing committees, and it operates under a set of school bylaws available at the following web address:

https://aub.policytech.eu/dotNet/documents/?docid=149&public=true



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Graduate ProgramsOSB currently offers four graduate degree programs, which are the Executive MBA, the MBA, the Masters in Finance and the Master of Science in Human Resource Management.

The Executive MBA ProgramPhilosophyThe OSB Executive MBA program is intended for senior regional executives with proven managerial track records who wish to consolidate and expand their expertise. With its distinct strategy orientation, the integrated curriculum of the program is specifically designed to provide participants with a state-of-the-art global leadership toolkit while emphasizing the importance of effective implementation.

The distinctiveness of the program lies in the premium it places on relevance to the development needs of Middle East executives and the organizations they lead. However, effectiveness of regional leaders is contingent upon their ability to manage the global forces that shape their external environment. Hence, the content of the program is continuously benchmarked against leading international best-practices for currency and thought leadership while customizing learning to the present and emerging forces shaping business practice in the region.

The program emphasizes actionable knowledge through:

• Problem-based learning, including case studies• Effective integration of the real-life experiences of the participants • Application of knowledge to the participants’ organizations

Admission to the ProgramNormally, there are two admission deadlines a year that are in June, for enrollment in the fall semester and in January, for enrollment the following spring.

Criteria for AdmissionTo be eligible for admission, an applicant must hold a senior management position. Admitted candidates come from a variety of industries and business backgrounds, have demonstrated leadership potential, and possess a strong desire for professional development.

Applicants must hold a university degree recognized by AUB and have an average acceptable to the OSB EMBA Oversight Committee. Applicants must also meet an English Language Proficiency Requirement (ELPR).

The OSB EMBA Oversight Committee decides on admission of all applicants. For additional information on graduate admissions, refer to the Admissions section in this catalogue.



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The Application ProcessTo apply for admission, all of the following must be submitted:

• An application form• Two letters of recommendation • Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate course work• Refer to English Language Proficiency Requirements (ELPR) on page 40• An application fee • A curriculum vitae• A personal interview with the Executive MBA Director

Program OutlineThe Program consists of 34 courses in 4 business themes and requires the completion of 50 credit hours, 17.5 of which are for foundation courses.

The CurriculumOrientation 6.25Business Context (Strategy) 0.5Applied Behavioral Skills for Executives* 2Judgment in Decision Making 1.5Team-Building 0.5Financial Accounting 1.75Presentation Skills Workshop 0Theme I: Fundamentals and Analytics 9.5Organizational Behavior* 1.25Organizational Design 1Management Accounting* 2.25Statistical Analysis for Management* 1.75Executive Communication Skills Workshop 1Basic Decision Making Tools* 0.5Economic Analysis* 1.75Corporate Legal Environment 0Taxation Environment 0Theme II: Operational Management 16.5Financial Management* 3.25Marketing Management* 3Information, Process and Technology Management 3Strategic Human Resources Management 1.25Competitive Advantage from Operations* 2.5Business Models for Decision Making 2Supply Chain Management 1.5

* Foundation Course



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Theme III: Strategy and Implementation 17.75Strategic Management 3Strategic Financial Management 3Corporate Social Responsibility 0.5Corporate Governance 0.5Change Management 1Leadership Theory and Practice 1Conflict Management and Negotiation 2.5Special Topics in Finance 0Practicum 1.75Leadership and Reflection Seminar 4.5Total Credit Hours 50

Program DeliveryThe Executive MBA program is delivered in a highly interactive modular format and takes approximately 20 months to complete. Courses are offered once every three weeks throughout the year. Normally, classes are offered on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays with some variation during the Summer term and during national and regional holidays. Each class day consists of eight and a half class hours of instruction.

Each credit hour consists of 12.5 hours of class instruction.

Credit hours map to teaching days as follows:

Credit Hours(per course)

Exact Teaching Day Equivalence

(based on a 7-hour day)Actual Teaching Days

Scheduled (approximate)

1 1.8 1.51.5 2.7 2.52 3.6 3.5

2.5 4.5 4.53.0 5.4 5

Thus, the program will take approximately 86 in-class days to complete:

• Orientation: 11 days• Theme I: 19.5 days • Theme II: 27.5 days • Theme III: 25.5 days • Testing, Team building outing and other administrative activities: 3 days



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Academic PoliciesUniversity Academic Rules and Regulations apply. The minimum passing grade in a course is 70. A participant who fails a course must retake it. Moreover, an average of at least 80 must be attained in every Theme. Failure to do so will result in the participant being placed on academic probation, which can be lifted only upon completion of a timed development plan, mutually agreed upon with the Executive MBA Director. The OSB EMBA Oversight Committee may discontinue the participant from the Executive MBA program if the participant fails to remove the probation within the time period specified in the plan.

Executive MBA CoursesOrientation 6 cr.

EMBA 560 Business Context (Strategy) 0.67 cr.A key leadership skill is the ability to understand the internal and external context in which the organization operates. Decision makers need to leverage the capabilities of their organizations and respond appropriately to the external threats and opportunities in their environment. Leaders are also called upon to provide the context for decision making by defining the vision, mission, goals, values and strategies; by reinforcing the culture and ethical principles; and by setting the agenda and clarifying priorities. This course provides the frameworks and analytical tools to help executives understand, respond to and shape their environment. Foundation Course.

EMBA 510 Applied Behavioral Skills for Executives 2 cr.An interactive foundation course that is designed to instruct beyond management theory. The course presents a structured opportunity for introspection as well as personal and interpersonal growth through simulations, feedback interviews, SWOT analysis, personality profiling, skills testing, and many other techniques borrowed from a long history of organizational psychology, organizational behavior, and management studies. An essential component of this course is a project in which executives explore their own personal, interpersonal, and leadership characteristics in order to develop a current depiction of their self in terms of their strengths, values, interests and future aspirations. Ultimately, in the project, executives are asked to craft a strategy (action plan) for personal development that strategically balances their work life with their personal life. Foundation Course.

EMBA 551 Executive Communication Skills Workshop 1.33 cr.This course establishes a strong foundation for developing and delivering effective written communication strategies customized to specific business contexts and audiences. Participants learn to establish a systematic framework for analyzing and diagnosing business situations, develop a clear storyline with one main message, transform a storyline into a well-focused written deliverable and develop action-oriented executive summaries. Other topics such as writing style and data charts are covered.

EMBA 520 Financial Accounting 2 cr.An introduction to financial accounting that includes an overview of financial statements and a detailed discussion of the underlying principles, assumptions, and constraints. The course builds on the concepts, standards and practices of financial reporting to serve the needs of



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decision makers and establishes the foundation for financial statement analysis through the understanding of the relationships among the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. Participants should also be able to determine the impact of business transactions on financial statements and the resulting changes in a firm’s financial position. Foundation Course.

EMBA 550 Presentation Skills Workshop Description 0 cr.This course aims to develop participants’ skills, knowledge and confidence in both formal and informal corporate presentation situations. Concepts covered include body language, plan, structure and message delivery. The workshop set up allows for real practical application of the concepts learned and on the spot feedback delivery.

Theme I: Fundamentals and Analytics (11 cr.)

EMBA 512 Organizational Behavior 1.33 cr.Sets the base for the proper understanding of organizational behavior including the role of individual and group behavior within organizations. Concepts covered include communication, control, culture, motivation, and organizational behavior across cultures. Prerequisite: Foundation Course.

EMBA 513 Organizational Culture and Design 1.0 cr.This course focuses on corporate culture and organization structure. It explores issues of culture and structure from a top management perspective i.e. the role of culture and structure in supporting strategy and the need to ensure that culture, strategy, structure, management systems and rewards all reinforce each other and ensure good performance on a sustainable basis. The course also delves into the details, the language and frameworks used for analyzing corporate culture and structure.

EMBA 531 Management Accounting 2.33 cr.Examines the use of accounting information by managers for decision making in order to improve overall performance and profitability. Topics covered include cost behavior, cost allocation methods, activity-based costing, budgeting and control, cost-volume-profit analysis and performance measurement.

EMBA 542 Statistical Analysis for Management 2 cr.Introduces some basic and advanced statistical concepts and tools that are useful for managerial decision making under conditions of uncertainty. The course covers descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and regression analysis, as well as forecasting and time series. Participants will acquire a fundamental understanding of the application of statistical analysis using a software package on small and large samples of real data. In addition, participants will analyze cases from their own work experience. Foundation Course.

EMBA 561 Judgment in Decision-Making 1.67 cr.Most of us are not rational -even though we all think we are. In fact, we are predictably irrational. Often, we are willing to forgo the “best” possible solution and “satisfice” with good enough answers - given the constraints of money, time, and imagination. We tend to believe that we have a better understanding of our history (ability to explain the past), of our surroundings, of the choices we have and of the reasons for our actions than we actually have. We make many non-rational decisions due to: limits to our logic, external influences, self-serving motives and



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limited willpower and ethics. This course helps participants identify systematic biases which may lead to errors in judgment by ourselves and others and suggest strategies for overcoming them.

EMBA 540 Basics of Decision Making Tools 0.67cr.Introduces executives to the art and science of informed decision making. Executives will develop their analytical skills and will be introduced to the modeling framework and powerful tools that will enhance their ability to analyze and solve a wide variety of business problems. Emphasis is on introducing the modeling process in decision making, evaluating various modeling approaches, and applying them in business situations using spreadsheets. Foundation Course.

EMBA 526 Economic Analysis 2cr.Introduces microeconomics and macroeconomics. The objective is to enhance understanding of how firms are influenced by the microeconomic and macroeconomic environments in which they operate. Topics covered include: demand and supply analysis, consumer behavior, production and costs, market structures, national output, inflation and unemployment, aggregate supply and aggregate demand, monetary and fiscal policies, the balance of payments and exchange rate policy. Foundation Course.

EMBA 528 Corporate Legal Environment 0 cr.Relates business to its legal environment. This course provides a broad analysis of how laws influence management decisions and strategies; reviewing the characteristics of various legal structures, setting the legal framework for doing business and focusing on how business decisions and transactions should comply with the law. The course familiarizes participants with certain basic legal concepts relating to doing business on national and international levels. Core concepts relating to shareholder rights, governance, and joint ventures are explored through a mixture of class discussion, case analysis and project work.

EMBA 527 Taxation Environment 0 cr.Relates business to the taxation environment. It provides an overview of the taxation system in the Middle East in particular and exposes the participants to the various tax regimes and concepts and provides them with tax tools and tips that help them in their companies. It also highlights the impact of taxation on the finances of corporations and provides executives with a proper understanding of how taxation impacts businesses on national and international levels.

Theme II: Operational Management (18.33 cr.)

EMBA 522 Financial Management 3.33 cr.Provides an understanding of the key areas of financial management: financial analysis, break-even, investment decision-making (NPV, IRR, etc.). These topics are central to decisions made by executives regarding the goals and financial strategy of a corporation, as well as to analysis of financial statements and financial forecasting and planning.

EMBA 530 Marketing Management 3.67 cr.Offers a contemporary understanding of marketing management through a comprehensive, yet streamlined and balanced coverage of marketing frameworks, key concepts and practical tools. Marketing addresses the issue of how to provide customers with superior products and services they want, at a profit. Marketing decisions must be based on understanding customers and competitors and involves the coordination of strategic and tactical marketing.



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Strategic marketing involves selecting target markets and positioning the product or service for sustainable advantage. Tactical marketing involves managing the “marketing mix” (such as setting prices, managing the sales force and developing effective advertising and appropriate distribution). Issues covered include: achieving customer satisfaction, value, and retention; adapting marketing practice to the new economy; and assessing models of practice related to social media marketing. Topics include market orientation, development of marketing plans and programs, growth strategies, strategic brand management, marketing research and assessment of performance. Foundation Course.

EMBA 543 Process and Technology and Information Management 3.33 cr.This module teaches executives to be knowledgeable participants in information technology management decisions in their organizations. The module covers: basic terms and concepts of information technology; key management frameworks that are relevant to understanding technology and information management issues; the fundamental role of organizational processes, as well as process analysis and mapping techniques; small and medium size enterprise challenges in adopting and deploying information technology in support of operations; and highlighting the significance of social media and cloud computing applications for business.

EMBA 514 Strategic Human Resource Management 1.33 cr.The course analyses the role of Human Resources (HR) and its practices. It explores the different human-resource management functions and the strategic role of HR in today’s working environment, including the challenge of designing a coherent HR strategy and the critical need for strategic integration and alignment. The course leverages new trends and actual case studies to illustrate HR best practice across different organizational settings.

EMBA 544 Competitive Advantage from Operations 2.67cr.Introduces operations management principles and methodologies with an emphasis on practical business applications. The course introduces operating systems, process flow and design with reference to both the manufacturing and service sectors. Participants will learn to analyze time-to-market through project management and waiting lines; they will gain an understanding of quality management within a strategic context; participants will recognize the importance of inventory management and develop managerial insights through the application of practical concepts and rigorous models. Case studies are used to highlight all the central issues. Foundation Course.

EMBA 541 Business Models for Decision Making 2.33 cr.Introduces decision makers to the “art of modeling” and allows them to solve and analyze business problems in a systematic and rigorous way with the help of spreadsheet modeling tools. The course introduces practical problem solving techniques to help executives tackle some recurrent and often complex business issues. It covers optimization models to extract maximum value from constrained resources while exploring complex combinations of possibilities to achieve desired goals; decision analysis in the presence of uncertainty to help design strategic action plans; and simulation analysis to assess risk and to manage and value complex portfolios under various scenarios. Case-based problems are analyzed and discussed.



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EMBA 545 Supply Chain Management 1.67 cr.Discusses the design and management of the supply-demand interaction between businesses in a world where industries have been globalized in terms of sourcing and distribution. This course presents a framework for studying a supply chain, tackling the coordination of the flow of information and suggesting optimal ways to design a supply chain network and manage its logistics. Case studies are used to analyze supply chain decisions.

Theme III: Strategy and Implementation (17.75 cr.)

EMBA 565 Strategic Management (Planning and Implementation) 3.33 cr.A holistic and integrative course that integrates the strategies learned during the EMBA program. Emphasis is on combining analytical, integrative, communication, and decision-making skills to develop the strategic direction for an enterprise. Executives will learn to analyze strategic issues, make decisions and recommend effective strategies. The course also explores the application of effective strategic planning processes in the real world. Topics covered include the underlying concepts of planning and control, a structured holistic approach to strategy development as well as the practical and theoretical issues surrounding the planning process and the implementation of strategies at the business-unit and corporate level.

EMBA 523 Strategic Financial Management 3 cr.Strategic financial management refers to the study of finance with a long-term view considering the strategic goals of the enterprise. The objective of Financial Management is the maximization of shareholders wealth. To satisfy this objective a company requires a “long term course of action” and this is where strategy fits in. The course entails enhancing value through better corporate governance practices, accurate estimation of corporate and project cost of capital, assessing working capital practices, improving risk management, evaluating mergers and acquisitions, and diversification through investing in private equity and other alternative investments. While the course avoids complicated mathematical exposition where possible, emphasis is placed on developing a sound conceptual framework. The concept of shareholders wealth maximization is emphasized by showing the cost/benefit trade-offs that the financial manager constantly confronts.

EMBA 525 Corporate Governance 0.67 cr.A study of the legal and financial accountability of corporations in conformity with corporate and securities disclosure laws. A variety of issues are considered including: the role of institutional investors, leveraged buyouts, management compensation packages and the role of the board of directors in ensuring an appropriate accountability system and the integrity of financial reporting.

EMBA 533 Corporate Social Responsibility 0.67 cr.In the context of a global crisis in business ethics and the ascendancy and growing resonance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), this unit examines the challenges of ethical decision making while focusing on CSR as a new management paradigm with ethical, responsible leadership and sustainability at its core. The course is dynamic and interactive, highlighting different approaches with which to examine CSR both conceptually and empirically and using actual case examples of organizations that have become trendsetters in the CSR domain.



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EMBA 562 Change Management 1.0 cr.The course examines the issues involved in the implementation and management of change. Participants analyze the triggers for change, explore ways to pro-actively prepare their organizations to benefit from external change; learn to understand the dynamics that cause internal resistance to change and explore methodologies for dealing with such resistance. Actual case studies are analyzed to achieve a thorough understanding of possible organizational behaviors in a change intensive environment. The course also sheds light on the pressures and complex factors that may exist in organizations facing change and the importance of the skill sets required to effectively manage change. It enables participants to objectively assess their organizations’ dynamic and to understand the requirements of successfully managing change. Issues covered include types of change, objectives of change, resistance to change, effective methodologies for managing change, culture and social alignment.

EMBA 515 Leadership Theory and Practice 1.0 cr.Focuses on the concepts and skills needed for executive leadership in the modern organization. Emphasis is placed on leadership concepts such as vision, power, influence, motivation, values, attitudes, behavior, communication, leading strategic change and empowerment. The course draws on case studies and role modeling exercises.

EMBA 552 Conflict Management and Negotiation 0 cr.The course focuses on the development of analytical and behavioral skills for successful negotiation and resolution of corporate conflict. Emphasis is placed on developing effective diagnostic and communication strategies as well as negotiation and problem solving techniques both within corporations and also with external business stakeholders. The course includes simulations and role-play as well as a private developmental consultation for each participating executive.

EMBA 524 Special Topics in Finance 0 cr.An analysis of contemporary financial issues such as project finance, risk management and valuations. Topics will vary according to participants’ interest.

EMBA 564 Simulation 2 cr.Participants take part in a “simulation” exercise, competing in teams in a fast-paced realistic business setting. Participants will apply and integrate analytical tools and organizational skills learned in various courses of the program.

EMBA 563 Leadership and Reflection Seminar 3cr.Leadership and reflection seminar will focus on several themes from a practical real-world perspective and will be moderated by various instructors and practitioners. Several themes will be discussed, debated and reflected upon including: managing oneself in an organizational setting, learning from practitioners (sharing of experiences), addressing major challenges, leadership in the region and beyond, and creating value. There will be a strong element of reflection in this seminar in order to derive long term learning benefits and to practice the art of disciplined reflection. Each topical area will culminate in a “reflective assignment” integrating conceptual inputs from the classroom and experiences from work. Executives will be expected to make their own (creative) links between the world of ideas and the world of practice.



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The MBA ProgramPhilosophy The MBA program has been in existence at AUB since the mid-1940s and is committed to the highest standards of quality in graduate management education. The MBA is intended for ambitious professionals on track to becoming senior managers and provides a dynamic balance between a top-down strategic mindset and a bottom-up operational orientation. While the program develops systematic, big-picture thinking and problem framing, it underscores the importance of implementation, execution, and results-based management for maximum impact.

The OSB MBA has a number of characteristics that warrant its leadership status:

• Continuously reviewed and updated programmatic content, benchmarked against international best-practices in graduate management education

• Rigor of admission standards unparalleled in the region• Alignment with AACSB accreditation standards, whose fulfillment is a strategic target of the

program and a robust general management orientation which combines integrative strategic thinking with analytical rigor

• An explicit focus on leadership in keeping with the AUB tradition of producing corporate and business executive talent of the finest caliber

• An educational process that is student-driven and team-based• Ongoing assessment of learning outcomes geared toward continuous improvement

Admission to the ProgramNormally, there are two admission deadlines a year: in April, for enrollment in the Fall semester and in November, for enrollment the following Spring. For more detail, please refer to the Admissions section of the AUB graduate catalogue under Application Procedures.

Criteria for AdmissionTo be eligible for admission to the MBA program, an applicant must hold a university degree recognized by AUB and meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement (ELPR) of the University.

The MBA program is looking to attract and admit candidates with balanced profiles that demonstrate (1) a positive attitude toward learning, coupled with strong intellectual and analytic abilities, (2) potential to not only lead but also to contribute positively and responsibly to a group (demonstrated leadership potential) and (3) commitment to professional development and interpersonal growth.

These various competencies will be measured through the following list:

• Two years of relevant business experience (n.b., outstanding applicants with less than two years of work experience may be considered)

• Undergraduate Performance: All applicants are requested to provide transcripts from their undergraduate education (relevant course grades and average GPA of at least 80).

• Standardized Test Score: All applicants are requested to take the GMAT test. The average score of our students is 600. In lieu of GMAT, candidates may submit a GRE equivalence score (quantitative and verbal sections).



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• Personal Statement of Interest: All applicants are requested to provide a personal statement of interest. (see website for details).

• Reference Letters: Two supporting references from either your employer or university professor or from your current and previous employer are required.

• Curriculum vitae: Please also include a current updated CV with your application.To apply please submit an online application form at: https://graduateadmissions.aub.edu.lb/

As per AUB’s bylaws, the Graduate Studies Committee shall act on admission to the MBA program of all applicants. For additional information on graduate admissions, refer to the Admissions section in this catalogue.

Program OutlineOverviewStudents admitted to the Master of Business Administration MBA program are required to take two pre-MBA foundation courses (or to pass a related exemption test upon the approval of the program director). The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a general management program that encompasses the different areas of a business and offers a set of functional and skill-based core and electives courses. The MBA curriculum is composed of 8 core courses and 5 electives courses including a practicum and an MBA project. The latter can possibly be a Field Consulting Project, a Case Study, or a Research Paper. The MBA project can be replaced by two additional elective courses.

The MBA Program delivery is flexible to cater to the needs of different candidates. The OSB MBA offers three different tracks.

• Full time track with a duration of 16 months (for those starting in the fall) • Part time track with a duration of 3 years • Accelerated track with a duration of 12 months starting only in the fallThe accelerated track has more stringent requirements (very high GPA, very high GMAT1) and therefore necessitates special approval from the OSB Graduate Studies Committee.

The Pre-MBA Integrative Foundation ModuleThe integrative pre-MBA foundation module is an intensive, level-setting suite of courses designed to create a common platform of basic tools across key business disciplines. The module normally takes place over a period of one month prior to the start of each of the Fall and Spring semesters, and it is divided into three short courses offering basics in Accounting, Finance, and Statistics.

Students have the option to take an exemption test for each course. The grade of these courses is Pass/Fail. Full time students who fail in one of the courses have to postpone their enrollment but have the chance to repeat it again in the next semester. If passed, then he/she can enroll in the program.

1 Kindly note that although there are two deadlines for Fall semester applications, GMAT results are expected by one month after the second deadline. There is only one deadline for Spring semester applicants.



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The Curriculum

Program DeliveryPre-MBA Integrative Foundation Module 4.5 cr.Statistics 1.5Finance & Accounting 1.5Accounting 1.5MBA Required Foundation Module 1.5 cr.Team Building and Business Context 1.5 cr.Required Core Business Courses 24 cr.MNGT 306 Leadership and Behavior in Organizations 3MKTG 306 Marketing Management 3DSCN 300 Models for Decision Making 3BUSS 315 Prices, Markets and the Economic Environment 3ACCT 301 Financial Reporting and Analysis 3DCSN 310 Operations and Process Management 3BUSS 349 Strategic Management 3FINA 306 Intermediate Corporate Finance 3The MBA Project or Electives 3 or 6 cr.BUSS 398 MBA Project or two Business Elective Courses 3 or 6Electives 15 cr.Five Business Elective Courses including one practicum course 15Total Credit Hours 48 or 51



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Program DeliveryFull-Time MBA Student:

Course CreditsYear 1Pre-Foundation(3 weeks before classes start)

INFP 300A- Finance & Accounting 3

INFP 300B- Statistics, Team Building and Business Context

3

Fall 1 ACCT 301- Financial Reporting and Analysis 3DCSN 300- Models for Decision Making 3MKTG 306- Marketing Management 3MNGT 306- Leadership and Behavior in Organizations

3

Spring 1 FINA 306- Intermediate Corporate Finance 3DCSN 310- Operations and Process Management 3BUSS 349- Strategic Management 3BUSS 315- Prices, Markets and the Economic Environment

3

Summer 1 Elective 1 3Elective 2 3Elective 3 3

Year 2Fall 2 Elective 4 3

Practicum 3Project1 3

1

1 Students can choose to replace the project with two elective courses.



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Part-Time MBA Student:

Course CreditsYear 1Pre-Foundation (3 weeks before classes start)

INFP 300A- Finance & Accounting 3INFP 300B- Statistics, Team Building and Business Context 3

Fall 1 MKTG 306- Marketing Management 3MNGT 306- Leadership and Behavior in Organizations

3

Spring 1 DCSN 310- Operations and Process Management 3BUSS 315- Prices, Markets and the Economic Environment

3

Summer 1 Elective 1 3Year 2Fall 2 DCSN 300- Models for Decision Making 3

ACCT 301- Financial Reporting and Analysis 3Spring 2 FINA 306- Intermediate Corporate Finance 3

BUSS 349- Strategic Management 3Summer 2 Elective 2 3

Elective 3 3Year 3Fall 3 Practicum 3

Project 1 3Spring 3 Elective 4 3



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Accelerated Track:

Course CreditsYear 1Pre-Foundation(three weeks before classes start)

INFP 300A- Finance & Accounting 3

INFP 300B- Statistics , Team Building and Business Context

3

Fall 1ACCT 301- Financial Reporting and Analysis 3DCSN 300- Models for Decision Making 3MKTG 306- Marketing Management 3MNGT 306- Leadership and Behavior in Organizations 3Elective 1 3

Spring 1DCSN 310- Operations and Process Management 3BUSS 349- Strategic Management 3BUSS 315- Prices, Markets and the Economic Environment 3FINA 306- Intermediate Corporate Finance 3Elective 2 3

Summer 1 3Elective 3 3Elective 4 3Elective 5 3Elective 6 3



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Academic PoliciesAcademic Rules and RegulationsUniversity Academic Rules and Regulations on courses, grades, probation, and dismissal apply. The minimum passing grade in a course is 70. Students in the MBA program are required to maintain a cumulative average of at least 80 in all courses taken for graduate credit.

Academic AdvisorsEach student has an academic advisor who normally approves the student’s schedule each semester. The General University Academic Information section of this catalogue provides further information on academic advisors.

MBA CoursesMBA Course PrefixesMBA courses all have a prefix indicating the discipline which includes ACCT (accounting), DCSN (Business Decision Systems), ENTM (Entrepreneurship), FINA (Finance), INFO (Business Information Systems), MKTG (Marketing) and MNGT (Management). Integrative and multi-disciplinary courses that do not belong to a particular discipline are labeled by the prefix BUSS. It is important to note that the successful completion of the Pre-MBA Integrative Foundation Module is a prerequisite for enrollment in all the core and elective courses listed below.

Core Courses

ACCT 301 Financial Reporting and Analysis 3 cr.Integrates contemporary corporate financial reporting issues with financial statements analysis, interpretation, and performance evaluation using a case approach. It presents an in-depth discussion of factors affecting analysis of business organizations and business strategy, and explores measurement of items on financial statements, disclosures, standard-setting issues, financial reporting internationally, financial reporting implications and investment evaluation.

BUSS 315 Advanced Business Analysis 3 cr.Enhances understanding of how firms are influenced by the microeconomic and macroeconomic environments in which they operate. On the microeconomic level, topics include pricing decisions in practice, externalities and government regulation, and risk and uncertainty in managerial decision-making. On the macroeconomic level, the course discusses the IS-LM model and uses it to demonstrate the effect of fiscal and monetary policies on the economy; pays particular attention to the open economy; focuses on the balance of payments, exchange rate determination, and macroeconomic policy under both fixed and floating exchange rates; and concludes with a discussion of economic depression, hyperinflation and budget deficits.

BUSS 349 Advanced Seminar in Strategic Management 3 cr.An advanced course on strategic management philosophy, methodology and tools in local and global settings. Special emphasis is placed on competitive positioning and strategic analysis using an applied, hands-on approach. The course involves case writing and analysis. Prerequisites: minimum of 18 credits of core MBA courses including MKTG 306 and MNGT 306.



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BUSS 398 Project 3 cr.The MBA project consists of a field Consulting Project, a Case Study or an extended Research Paper defined in agreement with the faculty readers in question. Each student is assigned a committee consisting of an adviser (first reader) and a second reader who jointly supervise and guide the student throughout. It is the responsibility of the student to select a topic and submit a project proposal to be approved by his/her readers and then by the OSB Graduate Studies Committee. All accepted projects should be deposited at the Library. A student who is unable to finish the project in one semester can register for an additional time; subject to the consent of the readers.

DCSN 300 Models for Decision Making 3 cr.Covers the modeling process in decision making; explains the various modeling approaches under conditions of certainty, uncertainty, and risk; and considers single and multiple-objective decision making scenarios. Business models are drawn from diverse applications in finance, marketing and operations. Emphasis is placed on the interpretation of the results of models and the managerial insights provided. In addition, students analyze real cases from their own work experience and the literature.

DCSN 310 Operations and Process Management 3 cr.Gives an overview of the strategic and tactical decisions involved in operating a production or service system for sustainable competitive advantage. Topics include operations strategy framework; process management; management of technology; work-force management; total quality management and statistical quality control; capacity, location, and layout planning; inventory management; aggregate planning; material requirement planning; master production scheduling; business forecasting and scheduling and managing complex projects.

FINA 306 Intermediate Corporate Finance 3 cr.Covers topics such as financial management decision-making, financial planning, forecasting and valuation models, capital budgeting under uncertainty, modern capital structure theories, leasing, equity and debt financing, modern dividend theories, working capital policies, ethical issues in finance, and mergers and acquisitions using cases simulating real-world decision making.

MKTG 306 Marketing Management 3 cr.Deals with the fundamental aspects of marketing as it relates to the whole business enterprise. Topics covered include marketing in the twenty-first century, analyzing marketing opportunities, developing and analyzing marketing strategies, making marketing decisions and managing and delivering marketing programs.

MNGT 306 Leadership and Behavior in Organizations 3 cr.An analytical excursion into the behavioral aspects of the modern workplace, including such processes as leadership, communication, motivation, conflict resolution and team building. Particular attention is accorded to leadership as a focal point of group processes and as a critical ingredient in successful organizational endeavors and transformations.



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Electives Courses offered regularly

BUSS 350D Entrepreneurship & Innovation Practicum 3 cr.Visionaries, game changers, and challengers use new/improved business models to design tomorrow’s products and enterprises. Learn about new product and new venture development process as well as associated business model concepts while getting hands-on experience through the actual doing of design/feasibility for a new product. The structure of the course allows industry partners to see you in action. The industry partner understands that class participants may have skill gaps and a maturing understanding of the skills they possess. However, you are encouraged to invest in more than the course deliverables by making up any shortcomings via your professionalism, willingness to learn, and commitment to the success of your assigned project.

DCSN 330 Project Management 3 cr.The modern business relies upon improving and aligning processes with business strategy. These improvements are implemented as projects. While managing traditional projects such as construction is covered, this course emphasizes the management of the building blocks of a project; processes. Since project management is both an art and a science that balances soft (management) and hard (tool and technology) skills, both are taught. The course equips students to manage or participate in complex projects and work with project stakeholders.

DCSN 340 Supply Chain Management 3 cr.Addresses issues of matching supply with demand in the context of supply chain management by managing both supply and demand. While the treatment is model based, the course is aimed at developing the insights needed by general managers or management consultants. The emphasis is on managing uncertain demand, both within the firm and across the supply chain. Topics include: drivers of supply chain management, designing the supply chain network, planning demand and supply in a supply chain, designing and planning transportation networks, the Newsvendor model, quick response strategies, the order-up-to inventory model, risk-pooling strategies, and supply chain coordination. An introduction to managing demand through revenue management is also provided. Prerequisite: DCSN 310.

INFO 300 Technology and Information Management 3 cr.The specific learning objective is to function as knowledgeable participants in the technology and innovation (T&I) management decision-making of organizations. The emphasis is on achieving market and organizational excellence through dual attention to strategic and operational issues of T&I management. The course covers basic terms and concepts of T&I; key frameworks for strategic/operational management of T&I issues; fundamental role of organizational processes in exploiting T&I for strategic/operational advantage; understanding basic process analysis and mapping to exploit T&I; implementation challenges in adopting T&I in support of organizational operations; and the significance of emerging business T&I issues.

MKTG 312 Consumer Behavior 3 cr.Uses a behavioral science perspective to describe, understand and predict the behavior of consumers in the marketplace. This course also magnifies the basic decision-making processes followed by consumers when faced with a choice situation. Prerequisite: MKTG 306.



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MKTG 350F Strategic Marketing Measurement 3 cr.This course will equip you with practical tools to implement marketing strategies in order to aid you in making strategic decisions.

MKTG 350G Crisis Communication 3 cr.Despite living in a volatile environment with frequent eruptions of crises, most businesses in our region operate on a day-to-day basis failing to allocate the needed training, time, and resources to crisis planning and response. We will cover in this course the preparation for, the management of, and the recovery from crisis situations. It follows the case study method through the understanding and the analysis of real cases from industrial problems to ethical issues management, from environmental and natural disasters to financial upheavals. We will discuss effective leadership during crises and the communication with the relevant stakeholders (including media, employees, customers, business partners, affected communities…). As crises can hurt the reputation of an organization, this course will discuss the effect of crises on the brand equity and the best ways to manage reputation during and after crises. This course is of benefit to those working in corporations, healthcare institutions, public relations agencies, non-profit organizations, and governmental agencies. It draws on actual crises case studies and integrates the theoretical with the practical approach.

MKTG 350K Advanced Business Communication 3 cr.Successful managers need sound verbal and nonverbal skills in order to be effective leaders. Communications is the foundation to this leadership process, and presentation skills - the key to business situations that involve persuasion. Principles of successful communication will be initially applied to public speaking efforts. They will then more specifically be applied to elevator pitches, the presentation of numbers and visuals and the presentation of powerful business plans. Various presentation styles will be analyzed, but through your own experiences in this hands-on course, you will develop a deepened personal appreciation of how to maximize your own unique style. This course will focus primarily on skill mastery. While readings will be required prior to the majority of classes in order to give conceptual frameworks, the thrust will be on skills and practice. Some presentations will be videotaped and enable peer and instructor feedback to reinforce strengths and pinpoint areas for skill improvement.

MNGT 330 Quality Management 3 cr.An analytical examination of modern quality management philosophies for building and maintaining competitive advantage in organizations. Relevant theoretical models are highlighted, with emphasis on the executive role and the intensive study and design of practical applications. Prerequisite: MNGT 306.

MNGT 332 Human Capital Management 3 cr.An advanced analysis of the human resource function and the challenge of managing human capital in a modern corporation. The course highlights the interrelationships of the different human-resource-management functions and the strategic role of HR in today’s environment, and capitalizes on new trends and actual case examples to illustrate current HR best practices. Prerequisite: MNGT 306.

MNGT 350J Corporate Social Responsibility 3 cr.The course is intended to nurture skills of exploration, creativity, critical analysis, and strives to promote inquisitiveness, questioning, and independent thinking / problem solving. It will expose you to the most important debates and topics in relation to CSR and Social Entrepreneurship.



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MNGT 350L Talent Management 3 cr.This course presents a comprehensive overview of how to effectively develop a talent management strategy. It Examines cutting edge theories and best practice pertaining to Talent Management in the 21st century. The course covers a variety of topics that will equip the students with the “know how” to develop effective Talent Management strategies that will drive organizational performance. Topics include introducing a talent management system, Developing the building blocks of Talent Management, Talent development strategies, succession planning, employee engagement, and contemporary talent management challenges. The course will then encourage students to examine Best Practices in Talent Management adopted by the world’s leading corporations.

Electives Courses offered occasionally

MBA Business Courses

BUSS 300 Business Research Methods 3 cr.Provides an introduction to the main theories and practices in the field of business research. The course aims to show how to do research and locate issues of research method within a wider context. Topics include: business research process; research design and strategies; methods of quantitative research; design of experiments (sampling and survey design for data collection, basic analytical data analysis, analysis of variance, regression techniques and multi-variant analysis); methods of qualitative research; and research reporting and evaluation. An elective course strongly recommended for all students who opt with their advisors to work on the MBA project as a research paper.

BUSS 305 Advanced Managerial Economics 3 cr.An advanced treatment of the theory of the firm. Topics include different pricing techniques, government regulation of the industry, competitive markets under asymmetric information, regulation and pricing of public utilities, externalities and market failure, long-term investment decisions of the firm and international

MBA Accounting Courses

ACCT 315 Intermediate Financial Accounting II 3 cr.A review of generally accepted accounting principles, current and long-term assets and liabilities, consolidated statements, multinational accounting and interim reporting and disclosures.

ACCT 320 Profit Planning and Control 3 cr.Deals with comprehensive profit planning and control, sales planning and control, planning production, planning expenses, development and application of variable budgets, techniques and managerial application of cost-volume-profit analysis, performance reports for management control and analysis of budget variances.

ACCT 325 Advanced Auditing 3 cr.Covers financial statement audits and auditors’ responsibilities, audit objectives, evidence and working papers, materiality, risk, preliminary audit strategies, internal control, audit testing methodology, auditing the transaction cycles and completing the audit, reporting and other services. Prerequisite: ACCT 315.



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ACCT 330 Accounting Theory 3 cr.Presents the principal approaches and proposed solutions to the problem of formulating an accounting theory. The emphasis in is on the current issues in defining the elements of an accounting theory; namely, the objectives of financial statements, the fundamentals of accounting, the asset valuation and income determination concepts and the future scope of accounting. Prerequisite: ACCT 315.

ACCT 340 Activity Based Costing 3 cr.Covers the components of activity-based costing systems, activity analysis, activity-based management, identifying value-added and non-value-added activities, benchmarking value-added activities and cost management through a total quality management system.

ACCT 345 Financial Statements Analysis 3 cr.Deals with major financial statements, including the foundations of ratio and financial analysis, analyzing current assets, investments, fixed assets, current and long-term liabilities and owners’ equity.

ACCT 350 Special Topics 3 cr.An analysis of contemporary accounting issues and problems. The course may be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Credits depend on the course offered. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.

ACCT 351 Accounting Tutorial 3 cr.Provides opportunities for students to pursue directed study and preliminary research relevant to an area of expertise they want to develop when existing courses do not serve that purpose. The course includes presentation of a report on the work. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.

MBA Finance Courses

FINA 315 Investment Analysis and Evaluation 3 cr.An analysis of investments in financial securities that focuses on securities markets, investment risk-return trade-off, asset pricing models, and stock price behavior in relation to the capital market efficiency hypotheses. Particular emphasis is placed on stocks, bonds, and financial futures and options.

FINA 318 Derivative Securities 3 cr.Emphasizes derivatives theories and applications, derivatives exchanges, valuation of derivatives (futures, forward, swaps, standard and exotic options on different underlying assets), trading practices and regulations, management of financial risks and empirical evidence on derivative markets efficiency. Prerequisite: FINA 306.

FINA 320 Investment Banking 3 cr.Designed to meld the practical and the theoretical aspects of investment banking, focusing on a review of syndication and underwriting, advisory services, clearing and funding operations, corporate restructuring, evaluation of capital investment opportunities and integrating financial engineering into real-world investment banking applications. Prerequisite: FINA 306.



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FINA 325 Global Finance 3 cr.A study of global financial markets and instruments. Topics covered include financial and investment decisions in an international environment, operations of international money and capital markets, management of foreign exchange risk, working capital management, direct foreign investment, political risk analysis and currency derivatives forward and swap markets.

FINA 330 Banking Risk Management 3 cr.Deals with financial decision-making procedures and policies of commercial banks. The focus is on regulatory environment, strategic credit decision, international banking, applications of financial engineering in risk management and management of assets and liabilities of commercial banks using the portfolio analysis approach and capital adequacy indicators. Case work is emphasized. Prerequisite: FINA 306.

FINA 335 Portfolio Theory and Management 3 cr.Addresses the investment management processes, investment objectives and constraints, investors’ attitudes and behavior, modern portfolio theories, selection and timing skills, asset allocation methods, active versus passive investment strategies, trading practices, swaps, performance evaluation, evaluation of current events in the financial press and the role of derivatives in managing securities risk, using a case study and simulation approach. Prerequisite: FINA 315 or equivalent

FINA 337 Market Risk Measurement and Management 3 cr.Aims to give hands-on experience of the techniques used by risk professionals to measure and manage market risk. The topics covered include emerging market risks, including currency crises, Value-at-Risk (delta-normal, historical simulation, Monte Carlo), conditional value-at-risk, risk budgeting, stress testing, liquidity risk and measuring and managing corporate exposures, including cash flow at risk.

FINA 340 Advanced Corporate Finance 3 cr.Emphasizes strategic financial policies in theory and practice, and the formulations and implementations of financial policies through the case study approach. Case analysis covers issues such as management of short-term and long-term assets, raising capital, distribution and retention of earnings, agency problems, mergers and acquisitions, corporate failure and restructuring. Prerequisite: FINA 306.

FINA 341 Corporate Governance 3 cr.A study of legal accountability in conformity with corporate and securities disclosure laws, market for corporate control, the role of institutional investors, leveraged buyouts, hiring and firing strategies, management compensation packages and the role of the board of directors in ensuring an appropriate accountability system and the integrity of financial reporting.

FINA 342 Entrepreneurial Finance 3 cr.Explores financial issues that face entrepreneurs, including the stages of financing, business cash flow models, and strategic positioning of the early-stage company. This course also examines the role of angel investors, venture capital funds, institutional investors, strategic alliances, licensing agreements, and exit strategies; and analyzes the unique financial issues facing entrepreneurial firms. Topics include assessing financial performance, financial forecasting and planning, financial management of rapidly growing businesses, start-up ventures, valuation, sources of financing, venture capital, initial public offering, and the decision to harvest. Prerequisite: FINA 306.



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FINA 350 Special Topics 3 cr.An analysis of contemporary financial issues and problems. The course may be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Credits depend on the course offered. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.

FINA 351 Finance Tutorial 3 cr.Provides opportunities for students to pursue directed study and preliminary research relevant to an area of expertise they want to develop when existing courses do not serve that purpose. The course includes presentation of a report on the work. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.

MBA Management Courses

ENTM 310 Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital 3 cr.An analysis of the problems facing newly established businesses. Topics covered include personnel, capital, marketing, accounting, alternative financing scenarios, leasing and venture project evaluations. Prerequisite: ACCT 301.

MNGT 319 Change Management 3 cr.Examines in depth the change management process as a central paradigm in modern management theory and practice. The course spans a broad spectrum, including different change models and the various organizational forces that enable and resist change; change processes at the individual, group, and organizational levels. The course also introduces theories, tools, approaches and key competencies for managing change, as well as practical case studies in the management of change.

MNGT 320 Emerging Issues in Management Theory and Practice 3 cr.Helps students keep pace with rapid developments in managerial know-how, covering both conceptual breakthroughs and innovative applications. This course focuses on the rapidly changing intellectual landscape in management, in an attempt to discuss future directions and dominant trends in the making. The intended learning output is to ensure students’ preparedness for the sharp edge of management practice.

MNGT 336 Personnel Management 3 cr.An examination of the models and practices of human resource planning, with particular emphasis on the development and implementation of successful performance management systems. The course addresses the design of and diagnosis of performance measures, as well as HR best practices and the effective management of worker compensation. The purpose is to impart the skills and knowledge needed to contribute to HR related activities in modern organizations. Prerequisite: MNGT 332.

MNGT 340 Organization Theory 3 cr.An analytical overview of management systems, with special emphasis on current schools of thought, organizational models, management functions, concept-formation, methodology, and implementation. Prerequisite: MNGT 306.

MNGT 350 Special Topics 3 cr.An analysis of contemporary management issues and problems. The course may be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Credits depend on the course offered. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.



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MNGT 351 Management Tutorial 3 cr.Provides opportunities for students to pursue directed study and preliminary research relevant to an area of expertise they want to develop when existing courses do not serve that purpose. The course includes presentation of a report on the work. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.

MBA Marketing Courses

MKTG 311 Applied Market Research 3 cr.The course is designed to offer an advanced understanding of the market research process through coverage of the steps comprising the process from defining the research problem, to developing an approach, to formulating a research design and designing survey or questionnaire forms, to data collection, analysis, and implementation. The course takes on an applied orientation in covering the research process. Prerequisites: MKTG 306 and BUSS 300.

MKTG 312 Consumer Behavior 3 cr.Uses a behavioral science perspective to describe, understand and predict the behavior of consumers in the marketplace. This course also magnifies the basic decision-making processes followed by consumers when faced with a choice situation. Prerequisite: MKTG 306.

MKTG 325 Services Marketing Management3 cr.Addresses topics such as creating a sustained competitive advantage, designing the service delivery system, creating a service culture, building customer loyalty, exploiting the virtual value chain, reengineering the delivery system, delivering services on the Web, implementing total quality management program, and globalization of services. Prerequisite: MKTG 306.

MKTG 341 Global Marketing Strategy 3 cr.An examination of the global strategic marketing task through the eyes of the marketing manager. Topics covered include understanding the global marketing environment, analyzing global marketing opportunities, developing global marketing strategies, designing global marketing program and managing the global effort. Prerequisite: MKTG 306.

MKTG 350 Special Topics 3 cr.An analysis of contemporary marketing issues and problems. The course may be repeated for credit when topics vary. Credits depend on the course offered. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.

MKTG 351 Marketing Tutorial 3 cr.Provides opportunities for students to pursue directed study and preliminary research relevant to an area of expertise they want to develop when existing courses do not serve that purpose. The course includes presentation of a report on the work. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.



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MBA Decision Systems Courses

DCSN 320 Performance Management 3 cr.Strategic performance management is essential for ensuring the sustainability, continuous improvement and setting targets of any public or private organization. The course covers qualitative and quantitative performance measurement and management frameworks that consider performance indicators from stakeholders’ perspective. It addresses complex decision-making scenarios where a mix of tangible and intangible measures with tradeoffs needs to be considered to determine an overall relative performance measure for an organization with respect to its peers. Approaches such as the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP); Data Envelopment Analysis are covered to analyze various metrics and balanced scorecard information. Students form groups and select a topic for their final project and have hands-on learning experiences with appropriate software tools. Prerequisite: DCSN 300.

DCSN 351 Decision Systems Tutorial 3 cr.Provides opportunities for students to pursue directed study and preliminary research relevant to an area of expertise they want to develop when existing courses do not serve that purpose. This course includes presentation of a report on the work. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.

MBA Management Information Systems Courses

INFO 305 Data and Information Management 3 cr.Provides an overview of key topics in designing, building, and managing information systems (IS) that incorporate database management systems (DBMS) as their foundation. Topics include fundamentals of DBMS technology and their application in IS development; mastering technology issues based on data/information as a valuable business resource; new IS business uses enabled by advances that build upon the core DBMS technology; information systems development life cycle; techniques for researching system requirements; analyzing and modeling organizational processes and data and development and implementation of information systems in organizations. The course also provides hands-on experience in the analysis and design of a system and developing a database application using a state-of-the-art DBMS.

INFO 310 Enterprise and Systems Integration 3 cr.Addresses the issues and solutions involved in internal coordination and external customer focus through integrated processes, using an enterprise approach to information systems. The two primary approaches to integration; namely, enterprise systems and enterprise application/data integration are covered, with emphasis on the business and technical principles of each approach, as well as their pros and cons. Design and implementation examples of enterprise resource planning systems, customer relationship management systems, and supply chain management systems will be used to illustrate the challenges and benefits of integration.

INFO 315 E-Commerce Business Models and Technologies 3 cr.Provides both the strategic and technical essentials of what a manager needs to know in order to manage and lead an electronic commerce (EC) initiative. Topics include EC business models, economics of information goods, virtual value chain, impact of EC on organizational strategy and industry structure, in-depth assessment of successful EC strategies, and emerging issues related to electronic communities and virtual organizations as well as website design. Issues of



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design of e-commerce applications are considered, including hardware, software and network issues; usability; software tools; web analytics; and team dynamics. The course also includes producing a business plan, a requirements definition document, and several case studies.

INFO 320 Building Business Value with Technology Innovation 3 cr.Information technology (IT) is the key enabler of most key innovations and improvements in business and society. This course develops critical analysis skills required to bring new ideas into fruition that build and maintain organizations. These innovations require leveraging IT in these businesses. The course covers marketing to technology organizations; employing IT to create new business models; innovation at industry-leading companies using IT; current IT trends.

INFO 330 Improving Service Delivery with IT / Operations Management 3 cr.Provides tools and frameworks for managers to understand, assess, and improve the performance of their operations with an emphasis on services. Topics include service management, service blueprinting, needs of customers, managing service delivery processes, and continuous improvement of services. Services are generally delivered through information technology (IT) so the course will weave IT into both service design (strategic use of IT) and operations (IT applications).

INFO/ DCSN 350 Special Topics 3 cr.Focuses on analysis of contemporary decision systems or information systems issues and problems. The course may be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Credits depend on the course offered. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.

INFO 351 Information Systems Tutorial 3 cr.Provides opportunities for students to pursue directed study and preliminary research relevant to an area of expertise they want to develop when existing courses do not serve that purpose. This course includes presentation of a report on the work. Prerequisite: Consent of track convener.



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The Masters in Finance (MFIN) ProgramPhilosophy In 2012, the OSB introduced a specialized Masters in Finance (herein referred to as the MFIN) to its suite of graduate degree program offerings as part of its 5-year strategy to better serve the region, increase its graduate enrollment, and further enhance AUB’s global brand as the regional business education leader. The MFIN is aimed at graduating proficient individuals wishing to become technical experts in the finance profession. It seeks to supply the regional financial markets with a workforce that is equipped with knowledge of relevant, cutting-edge financial theories and tools.

Admission to the ProgramNormally, there is one admission deadline a year which is in February for enrollment in the fall semester. For more detail, please refer to the Admissions section of the AUB graduate catalogue under Application Procedures.

Criteria for AdmissionTo be eligible for admission to the MFIN program, a student must hold a bachelor’s degree and must satisfy the requirements of the University for admission to graduate study.

To be accepted into the MFIN program, the applicant must possess an undergraduate university average in the last 60 credits of study greater than 80 or equivalent if the applicant graduated from an accredited credit system university. For universities that do not follow the credit system, the cumulative average of the applicant will be taken into consideration. Students with a quantitative background, specifically those coming from thefields of Finance, Accounting, Math, Physics, Engineering, and Economics are exempted from the GMAT requirement. Those coming from a non-quantitative background are required to pass the GMAT. Applicants with previous work experience in the field of finance are at an advantage. Personal interviews will be conducted with the MFIN applicants whenever deemed necessary by the Graduate Committee.

The program is open to students from other educational backgrounds including engineering, economics, mathematics, statistics and so forth. Students not having an undergraduate degree in business will be required to take at least two prerequisite courses prior to enrollment in the program.

The Application ProcessTo apply for admission to the MFIN program, an applicant must submit all of the following:

• An application form• Two letters of recommendation • An official transcript for all undergraduate and/or graduate course work• Refer to the English Language Proficiency Requirement (ELPR) on page 40.• A GMAT or GRE score for students coming from a non-quantitative background• An application fee • A curriculum vitae



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Program OutlineOverviewStudents coming from non-business backgrounds can complete the MFIN program in 12 months provided they pass all their preparatory, core, and elective courses and maintain a cumulative average of at least 80 in all courses taken for graduate credit. Students with a background in business must satisfy all the above requirements as well as be registered fulltime for one calendar year starting the Fall semester. Failing to maintain a cumulative GPA of 80 upon completion of the courses for the program academic year or obtaining a grade less than 70 in any course will cause a delay in graduation until the program requirements are met.

In order to fulfill the MFIN graduation requirements, a student must complete the following on a full-time or part-time basis as tabulated below. No project (thesis) will be required.

Course Type Credits Hours (minimum)

Core 21Electives 9Total Number of Credits Required for Graduation 30

The CurriculumThe graduate program consists of 7 core courses and 3 electives spanning the various areas of corporate financial management, risk analysis and management, investments and portfolio theory, and quantitative finance. The program closely follows the CFA curriculum and covers the material of the three CFA levels and beyond.

The core courses are in the general area of:

• MFIN 301: Financial Statement Analysis • MFIN 302: Security Analysis • MFIN 303: Structured Finance• MFIN 304: Equity Valuation • MFIN 305: Quantitative Methods of Finance • MFIN 306: Portfolio Management• MFIN 307: Financial StrategyThree elective courses may be chosen from the following list of courses:

• MFIN 351: Fixed Income Securities• MFIN 352: Islamic Finance • MFIN 353: Financial Econometric to empirical Finance • MFIN 354: Risk Management in Financial Institutions • MFIN 355: Private Equity• MFIN 356: Financial Markets in the Middle East Region• MFIN 357: Energy Finance• MFIN 358: Real Estate Finance & Investment• MFIN 359: Entrepreneurial Finance• MFIN360: Credir Risk and Mesaurement



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• MFIN361: Project Finance Students not having an undergraduate degree in business will be required to take, prior to enrolling in the MFIN program, at least two prerequisite/remedial courses of 3 credits each:

• Financial Accounting/Basics of Finance • Quantitative Analysis/Economics As mentioned previously, these students can complete the program in 12 months.

Program StructureThe MFIN can be completed in three semesters (one year) in accordance with the recommended time frame suggested below for students enrolled in the program on a full-time basis.

Course Title Normal (cr.) Core/Elective/ Remedial

Summer Semester (Required for Non-BBA Holders)Preterm Course: Financial Accounting/Basics of Finance 3 remedialPreterm Course: Quantitative Analysis/Economics 3 remedialFall SemesterMFIN 301: Financial Statement Analysis 3 coreMFIN 302: Security Analysis 3 coreMFIN 303: Structured Finance 3 coreMFIN 304: Equity Evaluation 3 coreSpring SemesterMFIN 305: Quantitative Methods of Finance 3 coreMFIN 306: Portfolio Management 3 coreMFIN 307: Financial Strategy 3 core1 elective 3Summer Semester:2 electives 6 electiveTotal Credits 30

Academic PoliciesAcademic Rules and RegulationsUniversity Academic Rules and Regulations on courses, grades, probation, and dismissal apply. The minimum passing grade in a course is 70. Students in the MFIN program are required to maintain a cumulative average of at least 80 in all courses taken for graduate credit.




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MFIN CoursesRemedial Courses

MFIN 300A divided into two parts :

Financial Accounting 1.5 cr. This course provides a brief overview of the accounting cycle. It first includes a discussion of the financial statements a large diversified international company. Next, it briefly discusses the accounting standards in the U.S. and at the international level. This is followed by an analysis of the accounting framework including the objectives behind financial reporting, the main users of financial statements, the elements of the financial statements, in addition to the assumptions, principles, and constraints that apply when reporting the financial position of a firm. The last section of the course covers issues related to the accounting cycle including recording business transactions, preparing trial balance and financial statements, to conclude with closing entries.

Basics of Finance 1.5 cr. This course is an introduction to business finance (corporate financial management and investments). Participants develop a toolkit to analyze financial decisions based on principles of modern financial theory. The course introduces concepts such as discounted cash flow, corporate capital budgeting and corporate financial policy.

MFIN 300B Quantitative Analysis 3 cr.This is a foundation course that covers the essential tools from quantitative analysis and economic theory required for investment analysis. Topics covered include probability distributions, sampling and estimation, regression analysis and hypothesis testing.

Core Courses

MFIN 301 Financial Statement Analysis 3 cr. Integrates contemporary corporate financial reporting issues with financial analysis, interpretation, and performance evaluation using a case approach. It presents an in-depth discussion of factors affecting analysis of business organizations and business strategy issues, and explores measurement of items on financial statements, disclosures, standard setting issues, financial reporting internationally, financial reporting implications, and investment evaluation.

MFIN 302 Security Analysis 3 cr. Provides institutional elements of capital markets, mechanisms of securities trading; analytical techniques for evaluating investment management. This course also puts emphasis on the behavior of security prices, efficient diversification, techniques for measuring performance of securities and portfolios, security valuation, and portfolio selection.

MFIN 303 Structured Finance 3 cr. Covers forwards, options and futures. At the end of the course, students will gain an understanding of the mechanics of derivatives (contingent claims) markets and how derivative products are used and priced. Students will also be introduced to continuous-time financial models and their uses in modeling and valuing contingent claims.



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MFIN 304 Equity Valuation 3 cr. Provides students with a deep understanding of the relevant issues that financial analysts, firms, and investors must deal with when valuing a firm. Topics to be covered will include the role of valuation, discounted cash flow valuation, understanding the basic of financial statements, the basic of risk analysis, cost of capital, comparative analysis, valuing private firms, and other related topics.

MFIN 305 Quantitative Methods of Finance 3cr. This course introduces students to the basics of quantitative methods, providing many basic tools used in the investment decision-making. Statistical analysis is covered in depth.

MFIN 306 Portfolio Management 3 cr.This course will be divided into two parts: security analysis and portfolio management. The first half of this course deals with capital markets; fixed-income securities and equity valuation models. Areas such as Capital-Asset Pricing Model, Arbitrage Pricing Theory, and Market Efficiency are covered. The second part examines the role of strategic asset allocation in relation to systematic risk. Issues like capital allocation and optimal risky portfolios are explored in the framework of the macroeconomic conditions, exogenous shocks, forecasting, and business cycle dynamics. Then the process of portfolio management is studied; evaluating portfolio performance, the theory of active portfolio management, and global investment performance standards are among the issues to be discussed.

MFIN 307 Financial Strategy 3 cr. Provides students with the conceptual framework necessary to appreciate and understand the problems facing the financial manager. Readings, case analysis, and problem sets focus on the basic tools used by financial analysts and financial decision makers. This course is devoted to the two basic financial questions that all companies face: (1) where should funds be invested (i.e., investment decisions)? and (2) from where should funds be obtained (i.e., financing decisions)?

Elective Courses

MFIN 351 Fixed Income Securities 3 cr. Provides an in-depth analysis of the concepts that are most often encountered in the global market for fixed income securities. The goal of the course is to develop a theoretical and mathematical approach to valuation that will be useful in a wide range of financial applications as it will develop the set of tools required to evaluate virtually any fixed income instrument.

MFIN 352 Islamic Finance 3 cr. This course introduces the concept of interest-free transactions, commonly called Islamic Finance, where students acquire hands-on knowledge of the Islamic law of contracts, Islamic finance applications and Islamic financial instruments. The course prepares the student to the Islamic banking practice by introducing hand-on concepts, methodologies, structures and cash flow for all Islamic financial instruments in the market: trade financing, equity financing, and Sukuk.



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MFIN 353 Entrepreneurial Finance 3 cr. The course provides a comprehensive overview of the Venture Capital and Private Equity (VCPE) investment businesses, from the perspectives of the private equity investor as well as the entrepreneur seeking funding for his or her company. From the investor’s viewpoint, the course is structured around Entrepreneurial Finance concepts and is designed to help managers make better investment and financing decisions in entrepreneurial settings. As such, the course will cover all stages of the process, from startup to harvest. It will look at the business from fund formation, through the investment process, and on to the “exit”. The course will go in depth in structuring multi-staged financings, understanding business models, and valuing entrepreneurial ventures. From the perspective of the entrepreneur, it will examine all aspects of deal negotiation, company valuation, structuring, board relations, succession planning, and, finally, gain realization.

MFIN 354 Risk Management in Financial Institutions 3 cr. This course is designed to provide delegates firstly with a high-level overview of modern risk management, including a breakdown of the new Basel Accord and a comparison with the old ones, followed by an in-depth examination of the techniques and management structures used to assess and to control risk. Basic quantitative analysis along with some legal and accounting issues are also considered. Delegates take away from this course the required tools to anticipate problems that arise daily in financial entities

MFIN 355 Private Equity 3 cr.This course is designed to provide students with an overall understanding of the private equity industry as well as the necessary theoretical and conceptual tools used in private equity deals from entry to exit. The course will also cover the role of private equity in the corporate governance of portfolio companies.

MFIN 356 Financial Markets in the Middle East Region 3 cr.This course provides an in depth analysis of Financial Markets in the Middle East region. It discusses issues related to bond and stock markets as well as mutual funds, risk management and investment banking in the region. This course draws a special attention to financial and regulatory issues impacting the Middle East markets and the process of financial deepening.

MFIN 357 Energy Finance 3 cr.In this energy finance course, students will develop a comprehensive understanding and thorough knowledge of the dynamics of energy markets and the financial and investment decisions underlying energy projects. The program will start by introducing the characteristics of oil and gas and the different types of transactions and markets, industry structure and terminology, financial statement analysis, and risk management in the energy industry. After establishing the basics of commodity pricing, the program will focus on the investment aspect of energy projects. It will cover the most widely used techniques to value real investment opportunities, illustrate the financing structures and approaches of energy projects, and explore the hedging mechanisms available to companies and investors exposed to the risks of energy markets. The program will follow a practical approach by covering several real life case studies and exposing participants to examples of situations encountered by global companies and energy projects.



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The Master in Human Resource Management (MHRM) ProgramPhilosophy In 2012, the OSB introduced a Specialized Master in Human Resource Management Program (herein referred to as the MHRM) to its suite of graduate degree program offerings as part of its 5-year strategy to better serve the region, increase its graduate enrollment, and further enhance AUB’s global brand as the regional business education leader. The MHRM is aimed at early-to-mid career professionals in Human Resources (HR) or other fields (potential career switchers) who wish to advance within the HR structures of the best organizations throughout the Middle East region. The envisioned program would prepare participants to become “expert leaders” in the HR function, whether in large local or multinational corporations, in small and medium or family enterprises, or as management consultants. In addition to providing a current toolkit of highly sophisticated yet practical human resource management skills that are applicable to the industry, the MHRM program is also designed to allow adequate preparation for the pursuit of doctoral education should students choose to pursue further study.

Admission to the ProgramNormally, there is one admission deadline a year which is in February for enrollment in the Fall semester. For more detail, please refer to the Admissions section of the AUB graduate catalogue under Application Procedures.

Criteria for AdmissionTo be eligible for admission to the MHRM program, an applicant must hold a university degree recognized by AUB, must possess a minimum of two years of professional work experience, and must satisfy the requirements of the University for admission to graduate study (including meeting the English Language Proficiency Requirement (ELPR) of the University).

Admitted applicants will normally have attained the following:

• An undergraduate average of at least 80 or equivalent in any major. The undergraduate degree must be obtained from a university recognized by AUB. An applicant is considered for admission on probation if he she has attained an average between 75 and 80.

• A personal interview ( when needed)Admitted participants with non-business undergraduate degrees are required to successfully complete two remedial business courses prior to the commencement of the HRM program.



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The Application ProcessTo apply for admission to the MHRM program, an applicant must submit all of the following:

• An application form• Two letters of recommendation• An official transcript for all undergraduate and/or graduate course work• Refer to the English Language Proficiency Requirement (ELPR) on page 40.• An application fee • A curriculum vitae• A Statement of Purpose

Program OutlineOverviewThe MHRM requires a minimum of 30 credit hours in 9 required courses (27 credits) and one (3 credit) industry project/practicum. The comprehensive industry project is rooted in applying analytical and conceptual skills, knowledge, and tools to a real-time strategic HR problem. Admitted students, not having an undergraduate degree in business, will be required to take, prior to enrolling in the MHRM program, two prerequisite courses (remedial courses) of 3 credits each.

Program Delivery Participants normally complete the program in 15–18 months depending on their backgrounds. Classes are normally delivered in three 8-hour days (Thursday, Friday, Saturday), every 3 weeks requiring, approximately 1.25 years (15 months) for program completion. For students with non-business backgrounds, the program will require 36 credit hours or approximately 1.5 years (18 months) to complete.

Each credit hour consists of 12.5 hours of class instruction.

Credit hours map to teaching days as follows:

Credit Hours Actual Teaching Days ( Approximate)1 1.52 33 4.5

The CurriculumThe graduate program consists of 9 core courses (3 credit hours each) and 1 comprehensive industry project to be completed on a modular basis in a 15-month period. The courses are:

• MHRM 301: Managing the Recruitment Process (3 credits) • MHRM 302: Human Capital Training and Development (3 credits)• MHRM 303: Compensation in the Broader Performance Management Context (3 credits)• MHRM 304: Business Ethics and Sustainability (3 credits)• MHRM 305: Leadership and Behavior in Organizations (3 credits)• MHRM 306: Strategic HRM and Change Management (3 credits)



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• MHRM 307: Professional HRM Challenges in the Middle East (3 credits)• MHRM 308: HRM Best Practices in a Global Context (3 credits)• MHRM 309: Organizational Research Design and Methods (3 credits)• MHRM 310: Final Field Project (3 credits)Students not having an undergraduate degree in business will be required to take, prior to enrolling in the MHRM program, at least two prerequisite courses (remedial courses) of 3 credits each:

• Overview of Accounting and Finance• The Business Value Chain

Academic PoliciesAcademic Rules and RegulationsUniversity Academic Rules and Regulations on courses, grades, probation, and dismissal apply. The minimum passing grade in a course is 70. Students in the MHRM program are required to maintain a cumulative average of at least 80 in all courses taken for graduate credit.


MHRM CoursesRemedial Courses

MHRM 300A divided into two parts:

Overview of Accounting 1.5 cr. This course provides a brief overview of the accounting cycle. It first includes a discussion of the financial statements of Procter and Gamble. Next, it briefly discusses the accounting standards in the U.S. and at the international level. This is followed by an analysis of the accounting framework including the objectives behind financial reporting, the main users of financial statements, the elements of the financial statements, in addition to the assumptions, principles, and constraints that apply when reporting the financial position of a firm. The last section of the course covers issues related to the accounting cycle including recording business transactions, preparing trial balance and financial statements, to conclude with closing entries.

Overview of Finance 1.5 cr.This course is an introduction to business finance (corporate financial management and investments). Participants develop a toolkit to analyze financial decisions based on principles of modern financial theory. The course introduces concepts such as discounted cash flow, corporate capital budgeting and corporate financial policy.



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MHRM 300B The Business Value Chain 3 cr. This course is a holistic, interdisciplinary overview of a business firm, its competitive landscape, objectives, strategy and operations. The course explores the firm’s various functions and how they work together and affect one another to form a company’s business strategy. Firm strategy is also explored through an examination of customer and competitive analysis.

Core Courses

MHRM 301 Managing the Recruitment Process 3 cr. This course explores how organizations plan for changes in their workforce, create recruitment strategies, and develop selection systems to identify the best talent for their businesses. It encompasses planning for, establishing, and maintaining a quality work force; identifying critical specifications for filling positions; recruiting a pool of talent; developing methods for selecting from the talent pool and creating desirable person/job and organization fit.

MHRM 302 Human Capital Training and Development 3 cr. The first part of this course introduces students to the psychology of training. It focuses on how the research literature supports different approaches to training needs analysis, training design and training evaluation. The second part of the course introduces students to principles of employee development, with focus on coaching. It focuses on the history of coaching, coaching models, the importance of evidence-based practice and the use of methods drawn from behavioral science, along with ethical considerations and evaluation.

MHRM 303 Compensation in the Broader Performance Management Context 3 cr. This course examines compensation practice, the criteria used to compensate employees, compensation system design issues, and employee benefits, challenges of compensating key strategic employee groups, and employee benefits and services. The course also discusses compensation as part of the broader performance management context. This course is most suited for the HR professional interested in knowledge of the art and science of compensation practice and its role in promoting companies’ competitive advantage.

MHRM 304 Business Ethics and Sustainability 3 cr. This course is designed to provide a forum for students to discuss, apply and develop more ethically-informed and socially responsible rationales for decision making in business and corporate situations. Key concepts and decision-making frameworks in Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility will be used as a basis to assess business scenarios and to justify particular courses of action. Through cases focusing on the social, reputational, and environmental consequences of corporate activities, students will learn how to make difficult choices and critically argue in favor of these choices.

MHRM 305 Leadership and Behavior in Organizations 3 cr. This course introduces students to many of the basic principles of human behavior that effective managers apply when managing individuals and groups in organizations. These include individual differences in abilities and attitudes, perception, attribution and bias, motivation, group dynamics including teams and communication, power and politics, organizational culture, and organizational structure and design. Particular attention is given to the psychological aspects of the employment relationship. Leadership is also highlighted as a crucial underpinning of group processes, and as a decisive factor in organizational success, with the tone of leadership having important implications for HRM success.



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MHRM 306 Strategic Human Resource Management and Change Management 3 cr. This course aims to highlight the complex interactions and the needed alignment of human resource management and strategy. It starts by highlighting the ABCs of effective strategy making and how people strategies are organically linked to corporate strategy making and essential for their successful achievement. Thus the unit captures the complex human issues which invariably affect the formation and execution of strategy. The course examines changes in human resource practices against the background of business strategy and objectives, and links human resource practices to business performance and outcomes. The entire unit is grounded in the context of change management theories and concepts given that SHRM requires a significant change away from transactional HRM prevalent today. The course will also include relevant critique of the SHRM paradigm.

MHRM 307 Professional HRM Challenges in the Middle East 3 cr. This course addresses contemporary issues and challenges facing human resource management professionals in the Middle East region. The course addresses potentially salient internal and external challenges that may face HR practitioners, including organizational culture and myopic CEOs, organizational structure, and short term strategizing but also external challenges relating to peculiarities of labor laws and socio-cultural norms and how they can affect HR practice. The course promotes an appreciation of the unique characteristics and challenges that exist within the socio-economic, political and cultural context of the Middle East and entices participants to reflect upon how to address those challenges and craft relevant HRM practices for the region.

MHRM 308 HRM Best Practices in a Global Context 3 cr. This course provides a comprehensive, international perspective of the consequences of internationalization for the management of people across borders. Main topics covered include a thorough overview of the ways that IHRM has been conceptualized to date, expatriate management and employment practices seen from both their external environment and the internal environment of the multi-national corporation and the current state of the field on IHRM practices (which extends to the role of globalization and the extent to which HRM differs between countries and the underlying reasons for these differences). The course will also accord consideration to the latest international debate in relation to HRM structural issues, including outsourcing, shared service development, and relationships between HR and organizational design/development.

MHRM 309 Organizational Research Design and Methods 3 cr. This course will be an overview of methods and statistics most commonly used in organizational research, focusing on research design and strategies. The course will cover basic inferential statistics including t-test and regression. Students will also be exposed to qualitative research techniques such as interviews, focus groups, case studies and grounded theory using content analysis. The course will dwell on the organic links between these various research methods and an overall evidence based approach to management and HRM specifically. It will also provide an introduction to basic consulting skills and techniques that are likely to be useful for the HR practitioner.

MHRM 310 Final Field Project 3 cr. This Final Field project allows MHRM participants to investigate an HR issue of relevance to their work environment and in line with their personal research interests. Students will have the chance to choose between an academic research project, a consultancy project or a teaching case study. Each Field project will be supervised by a first and a second reader and students are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, scientific rigor, and professional relevance while writing their final field projects.



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The Master of Science in Business Analytics (MS-BA)Program PurposeThe Master of Science in Business Analytics (MS-BA) Program is intended to prepare the next generation of experts in business analytics. Participants in the program will acquire the necessary knowledge to frame business problems in analytical terms, and hands-on training on the most relevant some of the trendy analytical tools to capture, process, and analyze large data sets. The analytical findings will help organizations extract actionable insights to make better informed decisions, recommend strategies to improve performance of operations, create shared value for sustainable growth, gain competitive advantages, identify new opportunities, and enable the digital transformation from basic to smart organization. Graduates of the program will develop advanced proficiency in executing applying business analytics initiatives to challenging business problems in various industry domains including supply chain and operations, project management, and marketing. The program aims to help meet the growing industry needs in the MENA region in particular and the world at large for business analytics professionals with the required new skills and expertise.

Program Objectives• Framing Business Problems in Analytical Terms: identify the business requirements, relevant

data, needed information technology, competitive edge, value added proposition to the business, and performance metrics for success.

• Analytical Modeling and Solving: develop advanced analytical modeling and solving skills to best address business problems in various industries. Further expose students to new techniques more applicable to unstructured and streaming nature of big data

• Analytics Communication and Management: Learn how to effectively communicate analytical and sometimes complex results to a mixed audience. Develop core managing skills, more applicable to a business analytics project, including planning, team leadership, project management, conflict resolution, negotiation and convincing techniques. Create shared value for a sustainable performance growth.

Admission To The ProgramNormally, there is one admission deadlines a year for enrollment in the fall semester. For more details, please refer to the Admissions section of the AUB graduate catalogue, under Application Procedures.

Criteria for AdmissionTo be eligible for admission to the MS-BA program, a student must hold an undergraduate degree from a recognized university and must meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement (ELPR) of the University. The program is open to students from other educational backgrounds including business, computer science, engineering, economics, mathematics, statistics and so forth.

To be accepted into the MS-BA program, the applicant must possess an undergraduate university degree with a Grade Point Average (GPA) equivalent to an AUB average of eighty or above.



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A personal interview may be conducted with an MS-BA applicant, whenever it is deemed necessary. It is conducted by an admission sub-committee including the Coordinator of the MS-BA program, the Convener of the track and another faculty member. As per AUB’s bylaws, the Graduate Studies Committee shall make the final decision on the admission of applicants to the MS-BA program.

The Application ProcessTo apply for admission to the MS-BA program, an applicant must submit the following documents:

• An application form• Two letters of recommendation • An official transcript for all undergraduate and/or graduate course work• Refer to the English Language Proficiency Requirement (ELPR)• An application fee • A curriculum vitae

Application form, online submission, and frequently asked questions are available at the online graduate application system: https://graduateadmissions.aub.edu.lb

Acadimic PoliciesAcademic Rules and RegulationsUniversity Academic Rules and Regulations on courses, grades, probation, and dismissal apply. The minimum passing grade in a course is 70. Students in the MS-BA program are required to maintain a cumulative average of at least 80 in all courses taken for graduate credit.


Program OutlineOverviewThe MS-BA program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours consisting of 6 required core courses (18 credits) and 4 elective specialized courses (12 credits). The 12 credits can be taken in one of two options:

Option 1 includes two core specialized elective courses (6 credits) and a thesis project (6 credits).

Option 2 includes two core specialized elective courses (6 credits); one general elective (3 credits); and a capstone project with experiential learning in industry (3 credits)

Please note if the two core specialized elective courses and the thesis or the project are taken in a given area, the student would then be entitled to have an MS-BA with a concentration title in that area (e.g., supply chain, project management, etc.)



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Program DeliveryParticipants will complete the program in a period of 12 months on a full-time basis. The program starts with a 2-week boot-camp and orientation (pre-requisite) in August and it then continues for 12 months starting in September. The structure of the program is displayed in the Table below.

August Bootcamp & Orientation (pre-requisite)Fall4 core courses

Business Understanding

Core

Data Processing FrameworkApplied Statistical AnalysisOptimization & Simulation

WinterSpring2 core courses+2 core specialized elective courses

Predictive Analytics & Machine LearningData Visualization & CommunicationConcertation lists Include: 1- Supply Chain Analytics; 2- Project Management Analytics; 3- Marketing Analytics 4- Other

Elective

Summer6 credits

Option 1: Thesis (6 credits)Option 2: An elective (3 credits) and a capstone project (3 credits)

The Program Curriculum

Course DescriptionMSBA 000: Bootcamp & Orientation (pre-requisite)

Students will be required to attend a two weeks’ non-credit applied camp. It introduces students to the major analytical tools used in the program and as applied to basic statistics and data visualization. These include, among others, R/R-Studio, Python, SPSS, Excel, and Tableau.

Program Core CoursesMSBA300: Business Understanding

This course will focus on the business understanding and problem framing. This includes analysis of previous findings; identifying stakeholders’ challenges and organization eco-system; understanding innovation essentials and components of analytics framework to compete on analytics; developing a data strategy for defining key performance metrics, data quality checks,, benchmarking indices; and data sources; introducing big data concepts and technological infrastructure for processing information; discussing innovative business models, appropriate analytical tools and necessary leadership role to implement analytics initiatives and prioritize them for budgeting; efficient resource allocation, effective creation of shared values and sustainable performance growth in a business domain.



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Course DescriptionMSBA305: Data Processing Framework

The course focuses on the technology processing of data prior to performing data analytics to extract actionable intelligent insights. It covers data management systems, integration and processing on open-source software tools such Hadoop and SparkSQL platforms as well as on tailored SAP enterprise information management system for streaming, structured and unstructured data. Topics include identification of the data types of interest, varieties and streaming data sources; build data models using SQL and NoSQL databases; perform operations to explore large and complex datasets of various data types; integrate big data within an enterprise information management platform; ensure data governance pertaining to auditing, ethics, privacy, and cyber security. Through guided hands-on tutorials, students will become familiar with data management techniques using real-time structured and semi-structured data.

MSBA310: Applied Statistical Analysis

This course is designed to familiarize students with various applied statistical methods and tests. It will enable students to gain statistical knowledge and skills needed to solve business problems. In addition to the overview of hypothesis testing methods and exploratory data analysis (EDA), the course covers in-depth a wide range of parametric and non-parametric regression models such as multiple linear regression with interaction terms, multicollinearity diagnostics, variable selection, logistic regression, and classification and regression trees (CART). The regression analysis will be extended to deal with time series data by introducing the autoregressive models (AR). Students will already have received an early hands-on training as part of the pre-requisite boot camp on using the statistical tools and packages required for this course such as R/R-Studio, Python, Excel, and SPSS.

MSBA315: Predictive Analytics & Machine Learning

Students in this course will learn about supervised and unsupervised training methods. The focus is on identifying relationships that cannot be found by basic statistics and used for example in customer satisfaction, branding, machine failure, resource allocation, fraud detection, and fraudulent activities. Techniques include Nearest Neighbors, Naive Bayes, deep learning, text mining, clustering, association rules, regularization and dimensionality reduction. The bias/variance trade-off and model selection is a focal point of the course and will be illustrated from multiple angles. Students will acquire hands-on experience on all techniques taught.

MSBA320: Optimization & Simulation

This course is an introduction to quantitative models for managerial decisions making in a complex and dynamic business environment. Students learn to develop linear, discrete, non-linear, and multi-criteria optimization models, perform sensitivity analysis, develop constraint programming models, analyze decisions under uncertainty, and conduct scenario analysis using simulation. The course introduces students to some advanced software tools used in simulation and optimization such as IBM CPLEX Optimization Studio for optimization, in addition to Excel Risk Solver.



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Course DescriptionMSBA325: Data Visualization & Communication

This course introduces students to the latest data visualization techniques and tools to visualize data using dashboards, scorecards, and other formats. Students will learn presentation techniques with emphasis placed on the data story, the visual display of data and smart reporting of results. Students will acquire hands-on skills to create effective presentations leveraging latest technology and software such as Tableau, QlikView, or IBM Insights. Other covered topics include web analytics and communication.

MSBA390: Capstone Project with Experiential Learning in Industry (3 credit hours)MSBA395:Thesis Project (6 credit hours)

This course has two fold purposes. 1- The first is industry oriented focused on preparing the students for the market and hit the ground running first day on the job.2- The second is designed to enable students to further deepen their knowledge in the field with the option to pursue an advanced degree.In both cases students will follow the entire life cycle of framing, modeling, analyzing and communicating results to address a business challenge and present their findings in front of a jury panel composed of academics and industry professionals.

Specialized Supply Chain Core CoursesMSBA335 Supply Chain - Fundamentals

This supply chain management course provides understanding of fundamental concepts for supply chain management from both analytical and practical perspectives including strategic framework to analyze the design, planning and operations decisions within supply chains. It covers supply chain drivers, supply chain process stages and performance metrics. It focuses on developing supply analytics strategy for competitive advantage; planning the demand and supply of products/services; managing inventory decisions, and designing warehouse layout subject to materials handling considerations. Students will acquire hands-on experience on relevant supply chain analytics tools

MSBA340 Supply Chain - Logistics

This course provides understanding of the logistics aspect to design a competitive supply chain strategy. It focuses on designing and planning of facility locations, transportation system networks and scheduling using analytics and geo-information data to derive decisions; global sourcing and procurement strategies; negotiation techniques and rules of conduct in international trade and freight; assessments and decision techniques for outsourcing and coordinating third-party logistics. It also focusses on the role of information technology in the e-functions of supply chain logistics. Students will acquire hands-on experience on relevant supply chain logistics tools.Specialized Project Management Core Courses



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Course DescriptionMSBA345 Project Management Fundamentals

This course introduces the core fundamentals including the five process groups (Initiation, Planning, Direct & Execute, Monitor & Control and Closing), in addition to the ten knowledge areas according to industry standards (Integration, Scope, Time, Cost, Quality, Human Resources, Communications, Risk, Procurement and Stakeholder Management). The course offers a perspective necessary to have a holistic and integrated view of managing projects in the business world. Students learn how to identify challenges, gather stakeholders’ requirements; communicate across the existing organizational units and bring the necessary resources together in a harmonious manner.

MSBA350 Project Portfolio Management

The Project Portfolio Management course focuses on the “what and why” issues in project and program management. It shows how Project Portfolio Management is the strategic layer of performance measurement and management that are undertaken to confirm the alignment of strategies with an organization’s investment, mission, vision, goals to achieve desired objectives. It focuses on enhancing the project and program selection through several methods It unifies the cost-benefit risk-opportunity metrics, enterprise architecture, capital planning, prioritization of resource, investment control, budgeting, project management, and management of operations. Models and analytics tools for projects and programs are introduced including assessments of risk and earned value management. The course also introduces students to some advanced software for project portfolio modelling and analytics tools

Specialized Marketing Core CoursesMSBA365 Customer Analytics

This course introduces marketing research with particular focus on customer analytics harnessing the power of big data analytics. It offers a comprehensive understanding of marketing research and its application to customer analytics, and emphasizes the importance of leveraging big data sources using various customer analytics tools and strategies.

MSBA370 Marketing in Connectivity Age

The course offers a comprehensive understanding of marketing in connectivity age and the power of data analytics and big data to support it, understand it, and adapt to its change. It introduces the latest trends in marketing in connectivity age, describes its building blocks, gives hints on how to leverage connectivity in a marketing context using the power of big data analytics, and presents the various forms of online presence.

General Elective CoursesMSBA355 Enterprise Resource Planning

This course focuses on covering the different aspects of Enterprise Resource Planning systems, how to manage them and use them for analytical purposes. It shows how ERP systems, when selected and managed successfully, can ultimately support business processes. The focus is on the cross-functional applications that span across various departments in enterprise contexts. It emphasizes on the following topical areas: overview of an ERP infrastructure, ERP and business processes, management of ERP lifecycles and the use of ERP for business analytics.



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Course DescriptionMSBA360 Social Media Analytics

This course addresses the move towards social media to build intellectual capital, communicate with society, exchange knowledge among a global workforce, and provide the public face of business for marketing and corporate communications. The course explores the role of social media technologies (e.g., Facebook) in shaping societal and business trends, and emphasizes analyzing and setting social media strategy with reliance upon analytics.

MSBA375 Strategic Performance Management

This course covers strategic performance measurement and management to generate applied insights, to manage performance efficiency and effectiveness, and make informed decisions to sustainably boost growth. The course focuses on modeling and analyzing the performance of an organization. It covers the essentials of a strategic performance framework; the development of performance metrics; the use of appropriate analytical tools to generate policy recommendations, and finally the implementation of strategic recommendations in real business context (e.g. Human resources, Finance, and Operations management). Students are required to locate an organization to conduct a strategic performance study. Thus this module combines the scientific rigor, the relevant professional experience and the analytics hands-on tools in an applied business domain, using student’s groups to meet milestones and deadlines.

MSBA380 Pricing and Revenue Management

The course focuses, at a tactical level, on how to integrate pricing, sales and product design decisions to extract maximal value from any mismatch between supply and demand. It also introduces pricing as a hedging tool in the presence of various risk factors. It is based on data handling, model-building, and relies on constrained optimization techniques implemented through Excel and Solver. Effective pricing and capacity management offer powerful levers that companies are increasingly using to squeeze more profits in competitive markets. Through a combination of case studies, lectures, computer games and guest speakers, the course reviews the main methodologies that are used in each of these areas, and survey current practices in different industries. The ultimate goal is for students to learn to identify and exploit opportunities for revenue optimization in different business contexts.

Other electives Other electives offered at OSB and/or AUB graduate programs may be individually approved by the director of the program.

suliman s. olayan school of business (osb) - aub.edu.lb · rima arabi financial manager ......

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